LUDHIANA: Senior medical officer (SMO) deputed at the mother child hospital in Ludhiana Civil Hospital ordered stopping of installation of a mobile phone tower near the children's ward on Tuesday.

Dr Parvinderpal Singh Sidhu said he saw company officials installing the tower near children's ward and immediately asked them to stop it as it was being done without permission. He said it shouldn't be allowed as radiation might affect the health of children and said that it would also hamper movement as it was being installed in the passage area.

He said he had also come to know that the company officials had the permission to install the tower in the old wing of the hospital and not near the mother and child hospital. "We have also complained about the same to the higher authorities and asked them to intervene in the matter," he said.